Wrap-Up: Our pick of main stories, Monday September 14th, 2015

Airtel to wait longer for operating license, US $5.5 million grant to help Kenya launch science accelerator, ESET announces East African expansion, to get more information on these and other stories in our wrap-up today read on…

Airtel to wait longer for operating license

The fate of Airtel Kenya’s license now lies with the board of the Communications Authority of Kenya that is perusing through documents submitted by the telecom operator. CA Director General Francis Wangusi says the board will also deliberate on the fees that Airtel Kenya will pay for the license to be renewed. According to Kenya’s second largest mobile operator, Airtel Kenya, the regulator demands Ksh 2.1 billion for spectrum fees, Ksh 30.2 million for initial annual operating fees, outstanding frequency fees of Ksh 24.9 million and a penalty payment of Ksh 1.5 million if it is to renew its license.

Samsung Galaxy TAB S2 now in Kenya

Samsung Electronics East Africa has announced the local launch of the Galaxy Tab S2, the thinnest, lightest and most immersive Samsung tablet globally. With its optimized Super AMOLED display, Tab S2 is designed for reading and viewing of any type of digital content. The Galaxy Tab S2 is stylishly designed with the thinnest and lightest metal frame on the market and packs powerful performance and features to offer enhanced usability, empowering users with new and improved choices in productivity and multitasking. The sleek and stylish tablet is available in both 8” and 9.7” screen sizes.

Novel remote sensing tech for mapping flowering plants

Scientists have created a flowering map for a semi-arid savannah site in Africa using a new remote sensing technology. Researchers from Finland, Kenya, South Africa and Sudan, who created the map, say that despite significant rural populations of Africa getting income from bee keeping, data on the abundance and distribution of flowering melliferous plants — those that produce nectar and pollen collected by honey bees — are scarce.

US $5.5 million grant to help Kenya launch science accelerator

The Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA) was launched thanks to US$5.5 million in initial seed funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Welcome Trust and the UK Department for International Development (DFID). (AESA), a new initiative that aims to help drive Africa’s research agenda and build scientific capacity across the continent. AESA was created by the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Agency.

ESET announces East African expansion

ESET, a global leader in security software, last week announced the opening of their Kenyan office under the management of Bruce Donovan, with a focus on business development, channel sales, marketing and distribution. Kenya is recognised as the first country in the world to pioneer mobile technology economy. Earlier this year, Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, was ranked the ‘most intelligent’ city in Africa by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) and has become the ‘African Hub’ for some of the worlds’ largest technology companies.